Rubber-band holder



(No Model.)

W, A. COOPER.

RUBBER BAND HOLDER, No. 364,904. Patented June 14, 1887.

I 1 llllllll Inventor Cooper by his dlttorlwys wail/M90 UNITED STATES PATENT Orr-ice.

WILLIAM A. COOPER, OF OONSHOHOGKEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RUBBER-BAND HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,904, dated June 14, 1887.

Application filed February 5, 1887. 7 Serial No. 226,732

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Gonshohocken, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rubber-BandHolders, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a rubber-band holder which will admit of an orderly arrangement of the various sizes of bands and permit the ready removal ofany of the hands when desired, a further object of the invention being to preventdeterioration of the hands by reason of their becoming dry and hard.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aperspective view of one form of my improved rubber-band holder. Fig. 2 is a view of a similar holder in skeleton form; Figs. 3, 4,- 5,. andG, views ofdifferent form's of cased holders madein accordance with my invention, and Figs. 7 to Ovie'ws illustrating other forms of holder within the scope of my invention.

Professional and business men who have occasion to use quantities of rubber bands of different sizes have long felt the necessity ofa device which would provide for the orderly arrangement of the different-sized bands and permit the ready selection of any one or more of thebands, as desired; and my invention has been devised with the View of supplying this need.

The band-holder consists, essentially, of a block or frame having a series of projections graduated in size, so as to provide holders for the different sized bands. Each holder is preferably such as to form opposite projecting fingers, between which there is a space or recess, so as to permit thegrasping of each band at or about the center when it is desired to withdraw it from the holder, and the outer faces of the opposite fingers of each holder are, by preference, at a distance apart somewhat greater than the length of the band to be applied thereto, so as to slightly stretch said band and cause it to cling. so snugly to the holder as to prevent it from falling or being shaken off the same.

In its complete form the holder is contained in a case, made in whole or in part of glass or other transparent material, if desired, and pro- (No model.)

vided with. a movable cover or door to permit access to the holder, the object of thus incasing the holder being to prevent the circulation of air in contact with the bands, and

thereby prevent the latter from becoming dry and hard.

The holder shown in Fig. l of the drawings consists of a central block, A, from which project laterally a series of webs, a, each of which has two projecting fingers, b b, with intervening space or recess d, for the purpose before set forth, the distance apart of the fingers of the different holders being graduated, as de scribed, for the reception ofthe different sizes of bands.

Fig. 2 shows a substantially similar holder made of wire in skeleton form.

In the holder shown in Fig. 3 the central block is hung to a horizonal spindle, f, 'so as to turn thereon, and the fingers I) are in the form of pins projecting from said block. This is an incased holder, the casing comprising a base, D, ends B, and a segmental cover, E, sliding in grooves in said ends B, so that it can be readily opened or closed.

The holder shown in Fig. 4 is mounted on a vertical axis, but is otherwise the same as that shown in Fig. 3, the casing comprising top and bottom portions, B, a fixed back portion, D, and a sliding front portion, E, the ends of which are adapted to grooves in the top and Fig. 7 shows a simple form of holder comprising a base'block with projecting pairs of pins, and Fig. 8 shows aframe of wire so bent as to form a series of pairs of projecting fingers, this frame having at the top an eye, by means of which it may be suspended from a nail or other support.

Fig. 9 shows a holder of the same general character as that shown in Fig. 3, the lid E being hinged, however, instead of sliding, and

the pins 1) being curved, so as to contain a greater number of bands.

The holder may be made as ornate as the taste of the manufacturer may suggest, so that it will, irrespective of its other merits, be acceptable as a paper-weight or desk ornament.

I claim as my invention- 1. A rubber-band holder consisting of a block or frame having a series of graduated projections forming holders for bands of the usual different sizes, and each holder being somewhat longer than the band for which it is intended, in order that the band will be held on the holder by friction, all substantially as specified.

2. A rubber-band holder consisting of a block or frame having a series of projections, each forming a pair of fingers, with a space or recess between them, all substantially as specified.

3. 'Ihecombination ofarubber-bandholder, consisting of a block or frame having projections forming a series of holders for the bands, with an inclosing-case having a movable lid or cover, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a case havinga movable lid or cover with a block or frame free to turn on an axis within said case, and having projections forming a series of band-holdcrs, all substantially as specified,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. COOPER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. CONNER, HARRY SMITH. 

